The total number of millionaires in Brazil should rise from the current 266,000 to 572,000 by 2026, according to a study by the Credit Suisse bank, which also shows an increase in the concentration of wealth at a global level.
The survey, called Global Wealth Report 2022, considers a millionaire to be anyone with a fortune of more than US$ 1 million (R$ 5.14 million, at the price of this Tuesday, 20). At the end of 2021, there were 62.5 million individuals with this level of wealth worldwide, 5.2 million more than in 2020.
“This accelerating rise reflects in part the fact that higher inflation makes it easier to cross the million dollar barrier,” the study notes.
The rise in prices increases the value of assets, such as real estate, which increases the value of the assets of those who already have properties. The appreciation of financial assets also helps to bolster the cash of the rich.
The expected increase in the number of millionaires in Brazil, of 115% in the comparison between 2026 and 2021, is one of the largest in the world and higher than the average for Latin America (99%).
Other emerging countries, such as China (up 97%), India (105%) and Mexico (78%) are also expected to see an increase in the number of rich. The growth of the total number of millionaires will be lower in developed countries, such as the United States (up 13%), Germany (26%) and Italy (18%).
The difference between the two groups of countries is due to the prospects of lower economic growth in higher-income countries. The expectation is that fortunes will rise 10% a year in emerging economies, but only 4.2% in high-income nations, according to the Swiss institution.
However, countries in North America and Europe already have a large number of millionaires. The USA has 24 million inhabitants with a fortune of more than US$ 1 million, amid a population of 334 million. In Brazil, there are 266 thousand millionaires.
The number of the ultra-rich, with wealth exceeding US$50 million (R$257.3 million), is also expected to rise, from the current 264,000 to 385,000 by 2026, considering global data. More than 140,000 of them live in the US, and 32,000 in China.
Credit Suisse estimates that the entire wealth of the planet amounted to US$ 463 trillion at the end of 2021, an increase of 9.8% compared to 2020. However, the concentration of income — and consequently social inequality — has worsened. About 1% of the population owns 45.6% of the planet’s total wealth. In 2019, before the pandemic, they controlled 43.9%.
In Brazil, the richest 1% of the population holds 49.3% of the national wealth. In the US, the top 1% own 35.1% of the equity. This percentage is lower in countries like China (the top 1% controls 30.5% of the wealth), Canada (25%) and France (22.3%).
In recent years, there has also been an increase in the so-called global middle class — people with wealth between US$10,000 and US$100,000 (R$51,460 to R$514,600). This range now covers 1.8 billion people.
“This reflects the growing prosperity of emerging economies, especially China, and the expansion of the middle class in the developing world,” the study points out.
On the other hand, the long-term effects of the pandemic on the wealth of the poorest and most vulnerable people still need to be better analyzed.
“Some countries, like Brazil, have provided significant assistance during the pandemic, but in many cases this has been quite limited. This means that younger people, who are more vulnerable to job loss, have likely had to use their reserves, do more debts and experience a decline in wealth,” the survey highlights.
How rich are you?
equity above US$ 8,360 (R$ 43 thousand)
Among the richest 50% in the world
equity above US$ 138,346 (R$ 711 thousand)
It is among the richest 10% in the world
equity above US$ 1,146,685 (R$ 5.9 million)
It is among the richest 1% in the world
The millionaire population
global total
2021 – 62.4 million
2026 – 87.5 million
40% high
Brazil
2021 – 266 thousand
2026 – 572 thousand
High of 115%
United States
2021 – 24.4 million
2026 – 27.6 million
High of 13%
China
2021 – 6.1 million
2026 – 12.1 million
High of 97%
Japan
2021 – 3.3 million
2026 – 4.7 million
High of 42%
Germany
2021 – 2.6 million
2026 – 3.3 million
High of 26%
Mexico
2021 – 318 thousand
2026 – 566 thousand
High of 78%
Data and forecasts: Global Wealth Report 2022
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